Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 4, 1991 TAG: 9104040084
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
William Bernard did. The Chesapeake man was arrested on the Blue Ridge Parkway with less than an ounce of marijuana and $10-$15 worth of amphetamines.
Bernard, 29, pleaded innocent Tuesday before a federal magistrate in Roanoke to misdemeanor drug possession charges.
But U.S. Magistrate Glen Conrad found him guilty, fined him $175, sentenced him to 18 months probation - and ordered authorities to seize his late-model Camaro.
"The fines were not that unusual. In fact, they're relatively normal," Park Ranger Dirk Wiley said. "What's unusual is that it was a small amount of drugs and we could still use that to take the car. Most people assume that a forfeiture deals with large-scale drugs."
Under federal law, any property involved in a drug crime can be forfeited and seized by the government. The intent is to stop people from sinking drug profits into large tangible items like boats, cars and planes.
"What has happened is that law has been interpreted to include any property related to a drug offense," Wiley said. "We want to get the message out that we can seize vehicles and property even for a small amount of drugs."
***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on April 5, 1991.
The government seizure of a car involved in a drug arrest on the Blue Ridge Parkway is being handled administratively. Because of a reporter's error, a story in Thursday's paper incorrectly reported that a U.S. magistrate ordered authorities to seize the car.
Memo: CORRECTION